BackOn 30 September 2014 the Queensland Ombudsman published a special report on "The Strip Searching of Female Prisoners - An investigation into the strip search practices at Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre".
This report represents the findings of an investigation into Townsville Women's Correctional Centre's practice of conducting strip searches on female prisoners receiving a certain class of restricted medication between June 2013 and March 2014. The investigation revealed that the practice was both unreasonable and contrary to law, and was not reviewed by the Centre or Queensland Corrective Services during the 10-month period during which it was implemented.
On the occassion Queensland Ombudsman Phil Clark pointed out: "I have decided to report to Parliament on my investigation because it is in the public interest that there is transparency in respect of closed environments, such as prisons, particularly where an unlawful and unreasonable practice has been identified. Publication of this report will promote improved oversight of activities that significantly impact upon the rights of individuals in correctional centres.
The findings and recommendations in the report are aimed at ensuring that unlawful and unreasonable strip search practices do not occur in Queensland correctional centres in future. They were accepted without reservation by the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (within which QCS operates)."
Source: Queensland Ombudsman, AUSTRALIA
